DE VIII - The Owens Valley

[4x4x4doors]

Frenchie: Either directing or singing I'm A Little Teapot with hand motions.

Inside the Burro Schmidt Tunnel

Self-clearancing bumper. Innovative idea GM but needs some tweaking. Initially blocked the tailgate but teamwork and a red ratchet strap got it loose enough to open the tailgate while the red ratchet kept it from wandering too much.

Trona Pinnacles

DE8 participants on the set of Star Wars. Ooops, I mean DE8 participants camp at Trona Pinnacles

More at Trona Pinnacles
Trona Pinnacles, morning light

 

[Scott B.]

Let's start with the raspberry waffles!



Morning sun.



Morning view from camp in Jawbone Canyon



On the way to Last Chance Canyon



Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures on Last Chance Canyon trail. I did get out of the truck, but didn't pick up the camera.

Here we are, at the top of the mountain, at Burro Schmidt's tunnel - and homestead.

 

[Hun]

Day 7 - Trona Pinnacles to Alabama Hills

We woke up viewing the early morning sun lighting up the Pinnacles.



Frenchie was already busy in the kitchen preparing the coveted raspberry waffles and Scott added a second course of scrambled eggs and bacon.



These. Oh yes!



Sib came out of his truck bed camp nearly stepping in a surprise pile presumably left by the kit foxes sometime during the night (no photo!). While we feasted on our breakfast, a hummingbird came buzzing in first to a red bag in Scott’s truck bed and secondly to an orange towel in Frenchie’s front door pocket. Thinking we might feed the little guy, we prepared a dish of hummingbird nectar, 1:4 ratio sugar to water. But alas, by the time we had the nectar ready, the little bird had buzzed out of sight.



We packed up and headed out of camp. Within 500 feet of leaving camp, 2 ravens swooped in to find any morsels left behind. We found our way out of the Trona Pinnacle recreation area southwest on EL143. EL143 followed railroad tracks through the desert basin where even more Pinnacles rose up. In all, nearly 500 Pinnacles are spread through the desert in the Searles Lake area.



We arrived in Ridgecrest at lunch time and looking to get out of the desert heat, we decided on lunch at an air conditioned restaurant. Casa Cocina was cool and the buffet style spread had a little something for everyone’s palette. The lunch was good especially when Keith offered to pick up the tab for us all. With one last serving of flan, we left the air conditioning and Ridgecrest heading west on CA-178. We turned north onto Rt 395 into Owens Valley.

The valley is lined by the jagged Sierra Nevada mountains on the west which rise 2 miles above the 4000 ft valley floor. Within the Sierra Nevadas are 12 areas of active glaciers which gives one an idea of the height of this mountain range. Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous US at elevation 14,497 feet came into view among the granite peaks. The White Inyo range lines the eastern border of the valley. In Lone Pine we turned west on Whitney Portal Road into the Alabama Hills to find Movie Road, named for the 500 plus movies filmed here by Hollywood.



We drove among the rock formations and picked out a nice open site for the night next to an old arastra. Arastras, circular pits lines by shallow stone walls were used to crush ore by donkeys pulling a rock crusher. The arastra here in this canyon was just a movie prop.



To get some relief from the desert sun, we put up our newest teardrop awning - the side awning. Since the rock bed proved difficult for staking the poles, we resorted to truck tie-offs.







Scott grilled chicken tenders to add to black beans and rice seasoned with Rotel for a tasty dinner. And we baked a batch of walnut brownies to complement fresh raspberries for dessert. We visited in the cool evening air, took the awning down, and then watched the dark sky fill with stars. A cool shower topped off the evening and we retired for the night. 110 miles

 

[Scott B.]

Morning light at the Trona Pinnacles







We saw this on the way out -



As the morning passed, the light changed, but still created an amazing site



Afternoon in the Alabama Hills







The color of Inferno looks right at home in the desert

 

[Ace Brown]

Day 7 - Trona Pinnacles to Alabama Hills

We woke up viewing the early morning sun lighting up the Pinnacles.

View attachment 476033

Frenchie was already busy in the kitchen preparing the coveted raspberry waffles and Scott added a second course of scrambled eggs and bacon.

View attachment 476035

These. Oh yes!

View attachment 476034

Sib came out of his truck bed camp nearly stepping in a surprise pile presumably left by the kit foxes sometime during the night (no photo!). While we feasted on our breakfast, a hummingbird came buzzing in first to a red bag in Scott’s truck bed and secondly to an orange towel in Frenchie’s front door pocket. Thinking we might feed the little guy, we prepared a dish of hummingbird nectar, 1:4 ratio sugar to water. But alas, by the time we had the nectar ready, the little bird had buzzed out of sight.

View attachment 476036

We packed up and headed out of camp. Within 500 feet of leaving camp, 2 ravens swooped in to find any morsels left behind. We found our way out of the Trona Pinnacle recreation area southwest on EL143. EL143 followed railroad tracks through the desert basin where even more Pinnacles rose up. In all, nearly 500 Pinnacles are spread through the desert in the Searles Lake area.

View attachment 476037

We arrived in Ridgecrest at lunch time and looking to get out of the desert heat, we decided on lunch at an air conditioned restaurant. Casa Cocina was cool and the buffet style spread had a little something for everyone’s palette. The lunch was good especially when Keith offered to pick up the tab for us all. With one last serving of flan, we left the air conditioning and Ridgecrest heading west on CA-178. We turned north onto Rt 395 into Owens Valley.

The valley is lined by the jagged Sierra Nevada mountains on the west which rise 2 miles above the 4000 ft valley floor. Within the Sierra Nevadas are 12 areas of active glaciers which gives one an idea of the height of this mountain range. Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous US at elevation 14,497 feet came into view among the granite peaks. The White Inyo range lines the eastern border of the valley. In Lone Pine we turned west on Whitney Portal Road into the Alabama Hills to find Movie Road, named for the 500 plus movies filmed here by Hollywood.

View attachment 476038

We drove among the rock formations and picked out a nice open site for the night next to an old arastra. Arastras, circular pits lines by shallow stone walls were used to crush ore by donkeys pulling a rock crusher. The arastra here in this canyon was just a movie prop.

View attachment 476039

To get some relief from the desert sun, we put up our newest teardrop awning - the side awning. Since the rock bed proved difficult for staking the poles, we resorted to truck tie-offs.

View attachment 476040

View attachment 476041

View attachment 476042

Scott grilled chicken tenders to add to black beans and rice seasoned with Rotel for a tasty dinner. And we baked a batch of walnut brownies to complement fresh raspberries for dessert. We visited in the cool evening air, took the awning down, and then watched the dark sky fill with stars. A cool shower topped off the evening and we retired for the night. 110 miles

On our ROF Trip in Death Valley a couple of years ago we met in the Alabama Hills off Movie Road to begin our adventure. It’s really a neat place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hun]

Day 8 - Take the hill!

As the sky lightened with the rising sun, the cool air warmed quickly. Scott served hot cafe mocha (my personal favorite) along with scrambled eggs and bacon. We all packed up camp and wandered through the Alabama Hills rock formations along Movie Road.















We sighted a mine headframe high up a hill and pulled to the side of the road to stroll closer to the mine opening. The already hot desert sun deterred most of us from the full climb so we waited in the shade of our trucks while Scott and Frenchie explored the mine.



When we all reconvened we made our way to the end of Movie Road turning onto Rt 395 southbound to Lone Pine. We passed through the quaint town turning east onto CA-136. Coming upon the once bustling town of Keeler, a major transportation hub for mule trains, stage coaches and ferry boats, now home to 150 residents, we got our first up close view of Owens lake bed. The lake was drained not long after the Los Angeles aqueduct was put in service over one hundred years ago. The dry lake now is a source of soda ash and has become a major dust nuisance for miles around.
Turning off pavement onto Cerro Gordo Road, we stopped to air down to make for a more comfortable, and safer ride.



Ahead of us was a steep ascent climbing over 4000 ft in 7 1/2 miles first in a deep tight canyon, and then on a shelf road clinging to the mountainside. That might not sound like much of a climb but we stopped twice along the route to cool down our transmissions from the strain of the climb.



We passed by a once active cable bucket tramway that transported ore and for the brave - passengers - from the mines to the valley below.

(continued on next post...)

 

[Hun]

Day 8 Take the Hill! continued...



Arriving at last at Cerro Gordo town and mines, the views from the top overlooking the mountains and Owens lake far below were spectacular.



Cerro Gordo, a mining ghost town, was recently sold, $1.4 million for 200 of the 500 acres, but so recently that nothing has yet changed.



We were soon greeted by Bill, the man with the keys, and our tour guide of the buildings still standing. We signed in at the hotel, named the American Hotel, built in the town’s heyday in 1871.



We walked through the saloon which doubled as a dining hall, the poker room, and the kitchen. A magnificent 7 foot wide iron stove hauled up the mountain by a mule train shortly after the hotel was built stood in the corner.





We stepped outside to the side deck and stepped into the ice house with piping still in place.





Next we walked through a small home turned into a store and purchased a few spice tins to take home with us. We walked through the never-used church, a sizable bunkhouse, the general store displaying pictures of the town from days of old, and finally the assayer’s office.

We took a break from the heat - and high altitude - and munched on sandwiches with iced tea while sitting on benches on the covered front porch of the hotel.



The great city of Los Angeles become a booming metropolis because of the Cerro Gordo mines, the most productive in all of California. Over 1000 claims produced $15 million of silver, then gold, and copper from these mountains. The silver was melted into bouillons, sent down the mountain via cable bucket ride, ferried across Owens Lake, and then carted by mule trains to LA for boat rides to San Francisco.

continued in next post...

 

[Hun]

Day 8 Descent

After giving Bill, our ghost town tour guide, a look into our teardrop, we completed our tour of Cerro Gordo by driving over the mountain saddle, down the back side of the mountain a ways and viewed some of the mines still evident. We retraced our path down the mountains, the descent being much quicker and less laborious than the drive up.





Back at the valley floor, we stopped at the Owens Valley visitor center, obtained a California camping stove permit, and picked up a few trinkets and books to take back home. We made our way back to Alabama Hills, this time picking a camp site in Lone Ranger Canyon just north of our previous night’s stay. We settled in for the evening with views watching the sun disappear over the peaks of the Sierra Nevadas.



A small rabbit appeared from behind the rocks, hopped right up to greet us, and found some fresh greens to munch on. Scott was busy in the kitchen preparing rock oven pizza for us all. A delicious meal to end an adventurous day. We showered the day’s dust off in the cool crisp air and closed the teardrop doors for a good night’s rest. 60 miles.

 

[Ace Brown]

Gary and I tried that climb to Cerro Gordo a few years ago and turned around and retreated it got so rough. Recent flooding had obliterated the road and we were just driving in the stream bed. Finally the rocks got too big and I choose to retreat. Some other time.

 

[4x4x4doors]

Thanks to the magic of telephoto, you didn't have to walk up the hill to see the mine head.

I suppose it beats walking the whole way but it would take some serious thought to get into that bucket.

The dual-purpose church and movie theater at Cerro Gordo. Bill told us it was never used for either intended purpose.

Complete with stained glass behind the pulpit.

Theater seating/pews

One of the mine rails at Cerro Gordo

Even the rabbits can spot a sucker when it comes to food.
Note the open doors. Wonder how the critters got into Frenchie's truck?

 

[Scott B.]

Early morning in the Alabama Hills



Changing light



At the base of the hill, under the mine. Presumably, this was a miner's cabin.



Looking up at the mine from the cabin site.



Main winch. Some pieces are missing, but overall, it is not very big.



Pre-transportation storage



View of the valley below


Continued...

 

[Scott B.]

Cerro Gordo, 9000' elevation



Inside the hotel



The hotel kitchen



Before records were flat...



Looking west. The town of Keeler is at the base of the mountains.



The ice (making) house



I think this one still works...




Continued...

 

[Scott B.]

Inside the church / movie theater



Another mine



Assessor's Office



The mined product was cast into ingots with "Cerro Gordo" - a form of theft protection



A rather small saw mill



The view looking down the backside (east)



And west

 

[Hun]

Day 9 - US Route 395

We rose with the sun and had a simple breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. The friendly neighborhood rabbit appeared again, ready to see what we’d share for breakfast. A few apple slices hit the spot. The sun came over the hills and we took to the shade under a rock alcove. Deciding just to lay low for the morning, we rested in the shade and enjoyed the landscape of Alabama Hills in the foreground with the Sierra Nevada range behind. A British couple wandered by snapping photos and stopped to visit, excited to see the filming location of many of their favorite Old West programs.














Nearing lunchtime, we packed up camp and headed north on Rt 395 to Bishop. We drove straight to Mahogany Smokehouse Meats, infamous for their smoked jerky. We dined first on deli sandwiches and then looked at about two dozen choices of flavored jerky to pick out a few morsels to try. With our selection in hand, bison and wild boar jerky, we continued our way on Rt 395. We thought it best to secure a place to camp being that it was a weekend night and Bishop is a popular recreational area with the mountains and lakes nearby. At Tom’s Place, we turned off Rt 395 southbound on Rock Creek Road into the John Muir Wilderness area. The drive was scenic and the high elevation would have made for a comfortably cool night if we had found a place to camp. There was nowhere really to pull off the road except established campgrounds. We circled through a few of them and found them to be crowded, nearly full, and just not our style so we came back out of the canyon and found a nice little spot, tucked into a canyon and not nearly as crowded, across the highway at the Tuff Campground.





The evening air was already chilly and for the first time this trip, we donned jackets or sweatshirts. We fixed nachos for dinner and listened to the nearby campers, a lively sizable group, laughing and talking. We were in Tacoma row as everywhere one looked, Tacoma trucks abounded. The sky turned red as the sun set and we watched the stars pop out.



Frenchie brought out a snack selection for us so we could do our favorite thing - sit together, share stories and eat munchies under the star filled sky. The night air turned surprisingly cold. Turning in, we were glad for our down blanket warming us nicely while we quickly fell asleep. 100 miles

 

[Hun]

Day 10 - Pillars and Trains

Brr. Talk about cold! We woke up to a frosty morning. The local weather station reported 32 degrees which called for steaming hot oatmeal with coffee to start our day. Our first destination for the day was the elusive Crowley Lake pillars. We headed out of the campground and turned right onto Owens Gorge Road. As we started a climb to higher ground, we passed by homey cabins nestled among large red boulders. We neared the southern end of Crowley Lake and drove over the Long Valley Dam which had barely a trickle of a stream some 500 feet below the dam level. Shortly after the dam we turned left onto Lake Crowley Eastside Trail and got a view of the lake beyond.





Frenchie tried to get airborne but alas, he only got one tire off the ground.



We found our way to the lake’s Eastern edge and lo and behold - the pillars, we found the pillars! The pillars, on the lake’s edge, look like stalactites and stalagmites, formed by the lake water lapping against soft rock.





We retraced our path eastward away from the lake, and turned left onto 4S45 making our way through enchanting pine forest.





We turned onto Casa Diablo Mine Road, named after a mine established in 1895 to extract gold and silver. Once past the mine, the path started a rapid descent down through a portion of the 325 square mile Volcanic Tableland. The Volcanic Tableland is composed of tuff which is volcanic rock of compacted pumice or ash from numerous volcanic eruptions many years ago.







continued...